El Shaddai in the Philippines

Katharine L. Wiegele. Investing in Miracles: El Shaddai and the Transformation of Popular Catholicism in the Philippines. Honolulu: University of Hawai'i Press, 2004. 216 pp. $21.00, paper, ISBN 978-0-8248-2861-5. Reviewed by Emmanuel Serafica de Guzman Published on H-Pentecostalism (January, 2009) Commissioned by Gene Mills (Florida State University) I read Katherine L. Wiegele’s book Investing As a “non-El Shaddai,” I am very happy that in Miracles, aware that I brought along some pre- the book has brought to the fore many facts about textual suspicion about El Shaddai. This suspicion and aspects of El Shaddai in an extensive scholar‐ is largely a negative one; I viewed El Shaddai as a ly manner. Specifically, the methodology of un‐ nuisance in society and the church. I realize that earthing and understanding the movement “from such suspicion is borne out of simple ignorance of within” is commendable for it has gotten in touch what this contemporary popular religious move‐ with those whose lives are webbed in the move‐ ment is all about and how it affects people's lives. ment, on the levels of both the ordinary members and the leadership. Though El Shaddai is not nec‐ Founded in 1981 by a businessman, turned essarily a little-known phenomenon, writings charismatic, “Brother Mike” Velarde, the El Shad‐ about it are greatly lacking. Wiegele’s research is dai movement is estimated to have seven to ten a significant contribution in shedding light on the million adherents, not only in the Philippines but lived experiences of Filipino Christians who are also in countries overseas where Filipinos reside. struggling with their faith in a vortex of social, Due to this power of numbers, state leaders, economic, political, and cultural transformation. politicians, and church leaders have been turning Whether one agrees or disagrees, accepts or re‐ to this movement to garner support for their own jects, the El Shaddai, the study provocatively in‐ agendas. But what makes this movement a potent vites readers in the social and theological felds to force in Philippine social and religious life rests discuss and debate the significance of the move‐ on its internal dynamics, in particular, how the ment in Philippine society. movement negotiates its existence among its own members, and how it navigates through larger Fil‐ For instance, Wiegele shows how members of ipino realities and conflicts. El Shaddai, more specifically its leaders, are cun‐ H-Net Reviews ningly reinventing Christianity to suit the Filipino with Christian tradition and with Catholic princi‐ psyche, and recasting the “universalizing faith” ples and structures, is veering toward discontinu‐ (of the West, particularly Rome) to suit economic, ity by presenting Christianity in a different way. political, cultural, and religious purposes. What The presence and approval of Catholic bishops emerges in the process is not exactly in the origi‐ and priests does not mean that the movement is nating sense that the Catholic Church, for exam‐ already mainstream or orthodox. One might even ple, wishes to communicate but a “negotiated say that the Catholic Church is coopting the move‐ faith” or a “particularized faith” that is bound to ment as has been shown in many instances in his‐ the worldviews and expectations of many Fil‐ tory. For example, the ascetic movement of the ipinos, many of whom are marginalized in nu‐ second to fourth centuries was a reaction to ur‐ merous aspects of social and ecclesiastical life. ban powers or centers, which were perceived to Yet, as Wiegele also points out, one may look at have been penetrated by the immorality of city the emergence and growth of El Shaddai as a life; eventually, the ascetics were recognized and form of resistance not only to the imposed (West‐ became monastic communities. The beguines of ern) form and interpretation of Christianity but the twelfth to seventeenth centuries were women also to Filipino society, which is marked by in‐ who decided to form communities in reaction to equality and depravation for many. Whether El the rejection by male-dominated hierarchy. They Shaddai is truly an alternative option or an es‐ became notable for their common prayer and ser‐ capist/reactionary option can be contested. Never‐ vice to the poor, and later were coopted by the theless, the book provides readers with substan‐ Catholic Church to become religious orders and tial resources for conversation. congregations for women. The author is affirming where it is due and Wiegele’s research is, in at least one sense, a critical when required. She presents the study in new contribution to understanding popular an interdisciplinary way, thus bridging the gap Catholicism in the Philippines. While there have between theory and practice from various social been publications dealing with local phenomena, sciences, both on local indigenous systems and on often on what is perceived to be indigenous to Fil‐ the academic side. Of value, too, are the compar‐ ipino culture or on social dynamics, Wiegele’s isons she makes between the object of study and book is a breakthrough in investigating a largely other segments of Christianity, particularly in urban phenomenon that mixes indigenous and Pentecostal, Protestant, and Catholic streams (in‐ foreign elements; that uses air (mass media) and terviews with priests, Basic Christian Communi‐ physical spaces; and that provides a theological ties-Community Organizing [BCC-CO], etc.), citing syncretism of diverse, sometimes conflicting, be‐ points of convergence and divergence. She like‐ liefs. The work is not an apologia or propaganda wise seeks connections between local symbols, for El Shaddai. The study is sympathetic yet dis‐ myths, and rituals of El Shaddai as well as similar tanced in explaining the complexities surround‐ or related phenomena across national and cultur‐ ing the life of the movement. I highly recommend al locations, thereby weaving stories on a world‐ the work for scholars and practitioners of reli‐ wide scale, or at least partial but nonetheless gious and social change. Again, whether the read‐ global phenomena of the rise and proliferation of er agrees or disagrees with El Shaddai’s ways is movements “investing in miracles” in contempo‐ not my concern in this evaluation. Wiegele nicely rary times. weaves together scholarly or academic perspec‐ tives and concrete experiences or stories. In par‐ After reading the book, I have a feeling that El ticular, chapters 4 through 7 are the most engag‐ Shaddai, rather than having a strong continuity 2 H-Net Reviews ing, because these parts privilege (from the view‐ In conclusion, I strongly recommend the point of a theologian) the voices of people whose work; as I have indicated, this is the frst compre‐ lives are being transformed by El Shaddai. hensive study on El Shaddai. Within the feld of this reviewer, the book will be useful for the acad‐ While reading this engaging study, I looked emy (professors, students in MA and PhD pro‐ for intersections or parting of paths between El grams, and researchers/scholars) in various disci‐ Shaddai and the rethinking of Christian tradition plines of theology. Since the book is written from endorsed by contemporary theologies and not the discipline of anthropology, theology (and re‐ only with established doctrinal discourses of ec‐ lated felds) can listen to and converse theoretical‐ clesiastical authorities, which the author cites a ly with the author’s methodology and fndings, lot. Unfortunately, the author cites only one form and use a theological jargon “to scrutinize it in the of Basic Christian Community (BCC), that of the light of the Gospel.” The book will also be instruc‐ BCC-CO, ignoring other types of BCC or Base Eccle‐ tive and informative for church hierarchy (of any sial Communities (BEC) in the country. Perhaps Christian denomination); it will hopefully be ben‐ she chose BCC-CO to highlight contrasts to a seem‐ eficial in reexamining their own internal re‐ ingly apolitical movement and another movement sources (beliefs, structures, rituals, programs, and with a strong liberationist, social dimension. Very practices) vis-à-vis the experience of believers on much a contemporary movement, many values of the popular level, such as the El Shaddai. More‐ El Shaddai are still preindustrial, especially the over, the book will be welcomed by those who are belief of the supernatural that directly, and literal‐ engaged in social or societal transformation that ly, intervenes to provide for adherents' needs, involves the participation of the “masses.” A col‐ particularly material benefits. league of mine, an anthropologist, once remarked It is still not yet clear to me whether or how El that the future of Christianity in the Philippines Shaddai is making the Filipino more Christian and will not rest on the established institution no mat‐ human, or perhaps the reverse, how El Shaddai is ter how influential it is in Filipino society, but making its Christian followers more Filipino and with groups and movements on the margins or human. The Filipino, of course, is continually re‐ periphery. In the future, as in the past, it is the or‐ cast and reinvented in changing situations, and dinary Filipinos who bear the burden of living up there is a need for more analysis of how El Shad‐ to what they believe are the demands of Christ, dai is “repacking” the Filipino to themselves and not in the expectation of the elites or hierarchy, to the global village. I wished also, but which may but in their own way. Whether or not the estab‐ not be expected within the scope of this re‐ lished church will still be relevant in the future, searcher's work, for more analysis of the El Shad‐ popular movements will make Christianity alive dai vis-à-vis modernity (also perhaps postmoder‐ but with a distinct Filipino favor.

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